Firefighters battle huge fire near Swadlincote - as it happened

Fire crews have been battling a large fire near Swadlincote since the early hours of this morning.

Firefighters from Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Staffordshire were called to the inferno in Occupation Lane, in Albert Village, at 1.18am on Tuesday, August 7.

Crews say the fire involves approximately 100 metres x 100 metres of plastic pallets which was alight when they got there and the blaze has spread to a small site building and a number of fork lift trucks.

Derbyshire Police are also at the scene and have closed a road on Occupation Lane while crews deal with the incident.

Emergency services say they are dealing with an exceptional amount of calls as people wake up to plummets of huge smoke plumes in the sky.

This is how the events were reported in our live blog.

17:16

Operation 'scaling down' and firefighters leaving

17:13

Praise from MP, Heather Wheeler

Heather Wheeler, the MP for South Derbyshire has been to see the overnight devastation caused by the huge fire at the Ravensbourn factory in Woodville, Swadlincote.

Mrs Wheeler said: “I am hugely impressed with the way the emergency services have worked together. It needed careful assessment in how it needed to be dealt with due to the plastic baking trays that have been involved.

“The whole place is just a mess - about a thousand square metres of destruction. The buildings are still intact and it is just the storage unit that has been affected, which I am sure will be good for the future of the business going forward.”

15:59

Charity providing food for hungry firefighters

Loughborough-based Rapid Response Team provided food for firefighters in Woodville

Drinks, burgers and doughnuts are being provided for the firefighters by the Loughborough-based charity the Rapid Relief Team.

Mervyn Burke, team leader, said: “It is a privilege to be here today.

“We are a team of volunteers and always support the emergency services at incidents like this.

“They have done a great job today and we had got cold drinks got burgers, cookies and doughnuts all to keep them going on this hot day.”

15:54

Amazing rare footage of 'fire tornado' in Woodville

This footage has been credited to the Ashby Fire Station Facebook page

15:45

'Fire tornado' formed during blaze

During the fire in Woodville, firefighters witnessed a firenado or a fire whirl. It is created as cool air enters the top of the hot air causing a swirl similar to how a tornado is formed (Image: Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service)

This still from a stunning video shows a fire tornado filmed by firefighters from Ashby Fire Station.

Also known as a fire whirl or firenado, the phenomenon is created as cool air enters the top of the hot air causing a swirl similar to how a tornado is formed.

15:38

This picture was taken by Alan Vickers using his DJI Drone in parkland off Penkridge Road

This picture was taken by Alan Vickers using his DJI Drone in parkland off Penkridge Road. (Image: Alan Vickers)

15:32

Fire is nearly out but smoke remains

Derby Telegraph reporter, Nick Reid, said: “The stench of smoke permeates the air around the Ravensbourn storage unit. Up to 600,000 bread trays have been destroyed as the fire ripped though the site.

“Firefighters are working tirelessly to put the flames out. The fire is pretty much all out but there are still small pockets of fire that the service are tackling.

15:31

‘I can’t believe what has happened’

Roger Horne of KH Auto Centre is next door to the American diner where all the fire engines have been this morning. He arrived at the office at 6.30am to the madness that was taking place.

He said: “I can’t believe what has happened I have never seen anything like this in Swad and Woodville before and it has been ongoing all day.

“The fire engines have been all over the place but it hasn’t affected put business at all, we have been able to get in and out and there have been no issues. To be honest we have just kept out of their way and let them get on with it.

“They have done a great job today and have been amazing dealing with this fire. Hats off to the crews who have been here and I hope it is all sorted soon.”

15:20

Photos show extent of the damage inside the factory

Nick Reid has been given access to the factory to show the extent of the damage:

14:08

Firefighters thank 50's American Diner

12:48

Nearby businesses praise fire service

Roger Horne, of KH Auto Centre which is next door to the American Diner said he arrived at the scene at 6.30am this morning.

He said:

“I can’t believe what has happened I have never seen anything like this in Swadlincote and Woodville before and it has been ongoing all day.

“The fire engines have been all over the place but it hasn’t affected put business at all, we have been able to get in and out and there have been no issues “To be honest we have just kept out of their way and let them get on with it. They have done a great job today and have been amazing dealing with this fire “Hats off to the crews who have been here and I hope it is all sorted soon.”

12:31

South Derbyshire MP Heather Wheeler is at the scene

South Derbyshire MP Heather Wheeler at the scene of the fire in Church Gresley

12:29

South Derbyshire MP attends scene to offer support

Heather Wheeler MP for South Derbyshire is on the scene and praised the fire service.

She said

“I am hugely impressed with the way the different services and brigades have come together to help put the fire out.

“It was a massive fire and I could see it from afar in Midway.

It needed careful assessment in how it needed to be dealt with due to the plastic bakery trays that have been involved.

“The fire crews needed to asses the risk of the flames and the residue going into the ground and the firefighters have done a great job with that.

“I am in recess now and I came down to offer my support to the fire service.

“They have been fantastic.”

She described the scene as she arrived:

“The whole place is just a mess. About a thousand square metres of destruction.

“The buildings are still in tact and it is just the restorage unit that has been affected which I am sure will be good for the future of the business going forward.

“There is just black smoking destruction everywhere but it is not beyond the whit of man to clear up.

“I hope the business can keep moving forward.”

12:25

Road reopens in Albert Village

Bus company Midland Classic has confirmed Occupation Road, in Albert Village, is now open.

It means that the number 19 is now running its normal route.

11:48

Flames reached 60ft high

Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service is still tackling the flames, which at one point her up to 60ft high.

Neil Hibberd, station manager, said: “We have seven appliances, two water carriers and an aerial ladder platform to try to tackle the fire from the air.

“We have been able to save the warehouse from being destroyed by fire but we are still battling the blaze and hope to put it out as soon as we can.

“The flames were up to 60ft-high earlier today.”

Emergency services at the scene of the fire in Woodville

11:48

Police statement

A spokesperson from Derbyshire police said:

We are in attendance to a fire in Occupation Lane, Woodville, and are making sure that traffic is under control and the area is safe.

When the fire is extinguished, we will be under taking a joint investigation with Derbyshire Fire and Rescue to establish the cause of the fire.